1879.] THE AMATEUR'S GARDEN. 357 



The second sowing should be made from the Gth to the 20th of August. 

 The plants from this sowing are not to be finally transplanted until 

 the following spring; but it is a good plan to prick them in a shel- 

 tered spot on not too rich soil, as we have often noticed that pricked- 

 out plants — i.e. f transplanted closely together — stand severe winters 

 better than plants that are left in the seed-bed. One reason for this 

 is, that the stems are less exposed than when not transplanted, and 

 the operation causes a little check, which induces a harder growth. 

 The third lot should be sown in March, and the fourth in May. 

 Bath these lots had better be pricked in soil in which some rotten 

 manure has been mixed, so as to produce strong plants with plenty 

 of fibry roots. Such plants, when lifced with a trowel and planted 

 in showery weather with a ball of earth, give better results than when 

 the plants are allowed to grow crowded in seed-beds, and afterwards 

 pulled out and stuck in with a dibble. The plan of raising plants to 

 secure a succession which we have recommended applies to the tender 

 early varieties, of which Little Pixie may be taken as a type. "We 

 are aware that a succession of Cabbages is kept up in amateurs' gar- 

 dens by growing early, late, and medium kinds ; but we advise those 

 who wish fine Cabbages for the table to grow no late drumhead 

 varieties at all. They are very inferior and very coarse, and occupy 

 so much space that the ground on which they are grown is next to 

 wasted, as they are seldom used ; and they are, moreover, a very ex- 

 haustive crop to the soil. By the plan we have recommended, a 

 supply of Cabbages can be had from the end of April up till mid- 

 winter of the finest kinds. A plan, not so often followed as it might 

 be with profit, and which secures good dishes all through ordinary 

 winters, is to pick the leaves off the earliest batches as they are cut, 

 and to give a good mulching of rotten manure and plenty of water. 

 This causes the old stumps to grow again and to produce a crop of small 

 Cabbages, which are often preferred to the ordinary heads. "We may 

 add that all the Cabbage tribe requires liberal treatment in the way 

 of manuring and deep digging ; and in dry seasons, or on thin soils, 

 mulchings of manure and soakings of liquid-manure. 



Savoys take the place in winter which Cabbages occupy in summer, 

 and are preferred by some. Two sowings of them are enough — one in 

 August along with the Cabbages sown then, and another along with 

 the first batch of spring-sown Cabbages. The autumn sowing re- 

 quires transplanting in spring, and the spring sowing in showery 

 weather, as soon as the plants are strong enough. The other remarks 

 on the cultivation of the Cabbage apply in this case also. 



Brussels Sprouts. — To have these as good as possible, they should 

 be sown in a frame, or under a hand-light, in February, to get the 



